Bhubaneswar: The IMD regional centre here has issued a cyclone alert for Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for Thursday.
“The depression over westcentral & adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards with a speed about 15 kmph in past six hours, intensified into a deep depression and lay centred at 0830 hrs IST of today, the 20th September, 2018 over westcentral Bay of Bengal near latitude 17.5 degree North and longitude 87.0 degree East, about 310 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam (Coastal Andhra Pradesh) and about 300 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha),” said a weather bulletin issued in the noon today.
The bulletin further added that, “It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross south Odisha – north Andhra Pradesh coasts between Kalingapatnam & Puri (Odisha), close to Gopalpur around midnight today, the 20th September as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph.”
State of sea will be very rough over Central and North Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha coast during next 6 hours and become high along and off south Odisha coasts from toda evening for subsequent 12 hours, as per the Weatherman.
Due to the landfall of the cyclone damage is expected in districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda, Nyagarh and Puri districts of the state. Similarly, a storm surge of about 0.5 meter is very likely to submerge low lying areas of districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Khurda and Puri.
Issuing a cautionary note to fishermen in view of the cyclonic storm, the IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into northwest Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha coast during next 24 hours.
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Ms Kalinga